Ctotaih-fasteuex



G. B. ELLIOTT.

CURTAIN FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. I919.

1L ,32%,772 Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W 6 m I v;

ATTORNEYS.

G. B. ELLIOTT.

CURTAIN FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1919.

1,322,772 Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- INVEINTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

enema B. ELLIOTT, or WILMINGTON, nom'n cenomsm.

CURTAIN-FASTENER.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Gnonon B. Enmowr, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of lVilmington, North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Iniprovenient in Curtain-Fasteners, Wll1Ch 1Ilvention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to curtain fasteners, particularly such as are designed for use on automobiles, boats, vehicles and other 'structures for detachably securing curtains or other coverings in place. Curtain fasteners commonly used on automobiles presen-t' 'a considerable projection from the part to which they are secured and are liable to engage and tear pockets and other portions of the clothing of passengers. This happens most frequently when the curtains are off, with fasteners located in the vlcinity of the door openings, and When passengers are boarding or alighting from the automobile.

The main object of the invention is to provide a fastener in which the curtain-engaging parts are adapted to assume a nonprojecting, retracted, or out-of-the-way position when notin use to fasten the curtain.

A further object is to provide, in such a fastener, suitable detent-means for securing the curtain-engaging means in projected position while the curtain eyelet is being engaged thereon.

A till further object is to provide for pressing the button or head of the fastener inward against the curtain, after said button has been projected through and turned cross-wise of the curtain eyelet, thereby holding the curtain firmly in place and preventing flapping and noise of the loose engagement of the fasteners commonly used on automobiles.

These and other objects attained by the invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating (on an enlarged scale) embodiments thereof, and wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section on line aa of Fig. 4, with the curtain-engaging means retracted into the socket to non-use position;

-Fig, 2 is a transverse-section on line 6-4) of Fig. 4; 4 5,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line aa of Fig. 4, with the curtaln-engaging means secured in projected position suitable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

Application filed July 17.; 1919. Serial No. 311,422.

for passing the curtain eyelet over the button or head and onto the post or shank;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base and socket member;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the curtain-engaging post or shank member;

Fig. 6 shows the fastener engaged through a curtain eyelet and the button or head turned to locking position across the eye-.

. cc of Fig. 10, with the curtain-engaging means secured in projected position suitable for passing the curtain eyelet over the button or head and onto the post or shank of the fastener;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the base and socket member;

Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views of the button or head and associated parts; and

Fig. 13 illustrates another embodiment of the invention (engaged through a curtain eyelet) in which the outline of the button and the cross-sectional outline of the post-member are alike and just slightly smaller than the interior outline of the curtain eyelet.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, there is a. base and socket member consisting of a face plate 20 and a cylindrical flange or barrel 21 projecting therefrom and preferably formed integral therewith to constitute a socket for receiving and housing the curtain-engaging means in the non-use position thereof. A slightly elongated opening 22 through the middle of the face plate 20 communicates with the chamber within the barrel 21. Opening 22 is countersunk at opposite sides to form shoulders or lips 22, 22. 23 is the post or shank member of the curtain-engaging means; it is a cylin-- face plate 20, a coiled sprin -curtain eyelet over the same.

25 with shoulders 29, 29, Fig. 5, at the point where parts 23 and 25 join. After the post member 23 is inserted in the opemng 22 until button 24 comes into contact with the 26 is introduced into the barrel or soc etabout the post member, and a disk or Washer 27 se cured to the end of the extension 25 of the post member by a screw 28. The sprlng 26, seated at one end against the inner face of the plate 20, and at its other end against the washer 27, exerts tension to hold the curtain-engaging parts in their non-use position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the head turned so that its major axis extends transverse to the major axis of the faceplate 2( In this non-use and non-pro ecting position of the parts, and with the flattened head 24, the danger of pockets or other po r tions of the clothing catching on the curtain fastener and being torn is entirely eliminated; a neat and attractive appearance is also presented in contrast to the projection and unsightliness of fasteners commonly used for automobile curtains.

When it is desired to use the fastener for attaching a curtain, the post member is "drawn out of its socket, against the tension of the spring 26, until the flat-sided portion of the post member 23 clears the fiat-slded opening 22 in the face plate, whereupon the post member may be and is rotated a quarter of a turn, bringing the shoulders 29, 29

into engagement with the shoulders 22, 22', and the parts to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, thereby detaining or securing the post member in projected position with the head 24 thereof turned to position to pass a After the curtain eyelet is so engaged over the button and onto the post member, the button 24 and post member 23 are given another quarter turn, to the position shown in Fig. 6 with the major axis of the button transverse to the major axis of the curtain eyelet, such turning movement disengaging the shoulders 29, 29 from the shoulders 22', 22', whereupon the spring 26 draws or retracts the post member inward, causing the button 24 to press the eyelet and curtain firmly against the face plate 20, eliminating loose ness of engagement and noise. v

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive, there is again a base and socket member consisting of a face plate 30 and a cylindrical flange or barrel 31, preferably formed integral with the face plate. An elongated opening 32, with flat side walls and end walls curved on the radius of a circle, is formed through the plate 30 and part way through the barrel 31, until it joins the circular bore 33 of the inner end of the barrel 31, forming at the point of intersection shoulders 34, 34. 35 is the post or shank within the socket or barrel, and surrounding the cylindrical extension 36 of the postmember, bears at one end against the shoulders 34, 34 and at its other end against the washer 39, tending thereby to always return the parts to and hold them in the non-use position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, with the postmember completely withdrawn into the socket. A lug 41, at one side of the disk 39, is adapted to operate in either of two oppositely positioned grooves 42, 42, extending longitudinally in the inner face of the outer end of the wall of the barrel 31, and in an annular groove 43 around the inner face of said barrelwall intersected by the grooves 42. In Fig. 8, the lug 41 is shown at the outer end of a groove 42, the button 37 of the fastener being thereby positioned with its major axis transverse to the position to which it mustrbe turned for engagement of a curtain eyelet.

\Vhen a curtain is to be applied, the postmember 35 and button 37 are pulled out to the position shown in Fig. 9, and the button 37 given a quarter turn to bring it into proper position to pass the elongated curtain eyelet thereover. In this manipulation of the parts, the projection 41 travels along the groove 42 to its intersection with the groove 43, and then (by the quarter turn of the button 37) moves in the groove 43 through an arc of,90, the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 9, with the spring 40 .til the lug 41 meets one of the grooves 42,

whereupon the spring 40 retracts the post member and button, drawing the button tightly against the curtain eyelet and curtain and firmly securing the latter in place.

As illustrated in Fig. 13, the post-member 50, of anembodiment of the invention such as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive, may be of oval cross-section to closely fit in the oval eyelet 51 of the curtain, the outline of the turn-button 52 being the same as the cross-section of the post-member. In such modified structure, the opening (corresponding to 32 of Fig. 10) in the socket member in which the post-member slides conforms in outline to the cross-section of the post-member.

meagre To facilitate catching. hold of the button in pulling the same and its post or shank 'out of the socket, the button may be underhave the major axis of the post extend.

parallel to the major axis of the curtain slot, when the button is in the position shown in Fig. 6, thus reducing the play at the ends of the curtain slot. In accomplishing this, the head 24 would be formedon the shank 23 so that the major axes thereof, instead of being parallel as shown in the drawings, would be at right angles to each other. Incidentally, the opening 22 and shoulders 22' would be turned at right angles to their position shown in Fig. 4.

The invention is susceptible of various structural embodiments and is not limited to those herein described and illustrated.

What I claim is 1. In a curtain fastener, a movable post or shank member, a base-member providing a socket for receiving and housing the postmember and from which the latter is adapted to be withdrawn to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, a button or head on the post-member adapted to be turned to a position to prevent disengagement of the curtain from the post-member, and detent-means for holding the postmember in its projected position while the curtain is being engaged therewith.

2. In a curtain fastener, a movable post or shank member, a base-member providing a socket for receiving and housing the postmember and from which the latter is adapted to be withdrawn to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, a button or head on the post-member adapted to be turned to a position to prevent disengagement of the curtain from the postmember, tension-means operating to retract the post-member into its socket, and detent-means for holding the post-member in its projected position while the curtain is being engaged therewith sald detent-means being released by turning the button to a position to prevent disengagement of the curtain from the post-member.

3. In a curtain fastener, a movable post or shank member, a base-member providing a socket for receiving and housing the postmember and from which the latter is adapted to be-withdrawn to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, a button or head on the post-member adapted to be turned to a position to prevent disengagement of the curtain from the post-member, a spring operating to retract the post-member into its socket, and detent-means for holding the post-member in its projected position while the curtain is being engaged thereon said'detent-means bein "released by turning the head to position to old the cur-- tain in engagement with the post-member.

4, In a curtain fastener, a movable 0st or shank member, a base-member provi ing 7o a socket for receiving and housing the'postmember when not in use to engage a curtain and from which socket said post-member isadapted to be withdrawn to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, a flattened head or'button on the post-member adapted to be turned to a position to prevent disengagement of the curtain from the post-member, and tension-means operating to retract the post-member into its socket.

5. In a curtain fastener, a movable post or shank member, a base-member providing a socket for receiving and housing the postmember when not in use to engage a curtain and from which socket said post-member is adapted to be withdrawn to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, a

a socket for receiving and housing the postmember and from which the latter is adapted to be withdrawn-to a projecting position for engagement, with a curtain, a button or head on the postmember adapted to be turned to a position to prevent disengagement of the curtain from the postmember, tension-means for retracting the post-member into its socket, and detentmeans adapted to hold the post-member in its projected position while the curtain is being engaged therewith, said means consisting of a part movable with the head and adapted by partial rotation thereof to be brought into engagement with a part on the socket member.

7. In a curtain fastener, a movable post or shank member, a button or head on the post-member adapted to be turned to a position to hold the curtain in engagement therewith, a base-member providing a socket for receiving and housing the postmember and from which the latter is adapted to be withdrawn to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, and detent-means operable to hold the postmember in its projected position and to release it for movement back into its socket.

8. In] a curtain fastener, a movable post or shank member, a button or head on the post-member adapted to be turned to a position to hold the curtain in engagement therewith, a base-member providlng a socket for receiving and housing the postmember and from which the latter is adapted to be withdrawn to a projectmg position for engagement with a curtain, and detent-means operable-by rotation of the button or head-to an active ositlon to hold the post-member in-its projected position and to an inactive position; to release the post-member for movement back into its socket.

9. In a curtain fastener, a base-member providing a socket, a post or shank member in said socket and movable either to a non-use position within the same or to a position projecting therefrom for. engagement with a curtain, a button or head on said post-member, and detent-nieans operable by rotation of said post-member to secure the same in its projected curtain-engaging position or to release it for movement back into the socket.

10. In a curtain fastener, a base-member providing a socket, a post-member adapted to move out of said socket to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain and to be retracted into the socket when not engaging a curtain, a spring housed within the socket and exerting tension to retract the post-member into the socket, and a flattened head or button on the post-member adapted to be turned across an eyelet of a curtain to hold the latter on the post-member. v

11. In a curtain fastener, a base-member providing a socket, a post-member rotatable in the socket and adapted to be moved out of the same to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain and to be retracted into the socket when'not engaging a curtain, a spring housed within the socket and exerting tension to retract the post-member into the socket, and detent-means brou ht into action by rotation of the post-mem er when in a projected position and acting to hold the post-member in such position against the tension of the spring.

12. In a curtain fastener, a base-member providing a socket, a post-member rotatable in the socket and adapted to move longitudinally out of the same to, a projecting position for engagement with a curtain and to be retracted into the socket when not engaging a curtain, a spring housed within the socket and exerting tension to retract the post-member into the socket, and detentmeans for holding the post-member in a projected position while a curtain is being engaged therewith, said means consisting of a shoulder on the-post-member adapted to be engaged against a shoulder of the base-member by drawing thepost-member out of the socket and rotating the same.

13. In a curtain-fastener, a base-member providing a socket with an opening through the base-member into the socket, a postmember having a button or head and movable longitudinally in said opening and out of the socket to a projecting position for engagement with a curtain, said post-member being rotatable in the opening only in a partly withdrawn or projecting position, and a spring housed in the socket and acting to retract the post-member into the socket but permitting it to be drawn outward to its said projecting position and rotated to a position in which the post-member is locked against retractile movement by the spring.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

GEO. B. ELLIOTT. 

